President Donald Trump has signed an executive order establishing an emergency board to investigate ongoing labor disputes between the Long Island Rail Road and several unions.
The move delays a strike after the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said that 99.9% of its 529 active LIRR union members voted in favor of a strike.
“There is a fair offer on the table, and I have directed the MTA to be ready to negotiate anytime, anywhere,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. “Unfortunately, five unions have refused to come to the table in good faith and rejected binding arbitration, putting riders at risk of an unnecessary strike. Both sides must return to negotiations and keep working around the clock until this is resolved.
“A strike would hurt not only the riders who rely on the LIRR, but also many hardworking LIRR employees and their families, who will be left without pay because of unrealistic demands and their union leadership’s refusal to negotiate,” Hochul added.
The order invokes the Railway Labor Act, which allows the president to appoint a board when disputes threaten to interrupt rail service. The conflicts involve the Transportation Communications Union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
The three-member board will begin work at 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 18 and must deliver a report to the president within 30 days. For 120 days after the board’s creation, the law prohibits either side from making unilateral changes to the disputed conditions without mutual agreement.
According to the order, board records will be kept by the National Mediation Board after its termination. The board will dissolve once its report is submitted, and the Department of Transportation will cover publication costs.
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